Van Gundy: It's time for the Magic to clean up problem areas with playoffs approaching

The Magic had 20 regular-season games remaining when they entered their matchup Monday night against the Chicago Bulls, and Van Gundy sees two major areas that need improvement with his team: ball-handling and defense.

"At the end of the day, you're going to hit the playoffs, and you're going to be left with your habits," Van Gundy said before tipoff.

"You're not going to transform," he added later. "Teams that turn the ball over a lot all year long all of a sudden aren't going to hit the playoffs and turn it over eight times because you're going to concentrate. You're going to play to your habits. If you didn't guard all year, you're not going to guard in the playoffs."

The Magic's defeat to the Miami Heat on Sunday was the third time in four games that Orlando gave the ball away at least 20 times.

Orlando entered Monday ranked 11th in points allowed per possession, according to basketball-reference.com. Van Gundy said that number screamed "mediocre."

"It's time," Davis said. "It's really time. We don't got time to be playing around. We don't got time to be using excuses. We don't got time to not be there for each other."

D-Rose out

Bulls point guard and reigning league MVP Derrick Rose sat out his fourth consecutive game Monday because of a right-groin injury.

On Sunday night, Van Gundy was expecting Rose to play, and the Magic coaches were going to prepare as if Rose would be in the Bulls' lineup.

Record chasing

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau began Monday with a 99-30 regular-season record with Chicago. With the victory against the Magic, Thibodeau became the fastest coach in NBA history to win 100 regular-season games.

"I think it speaks to the job he's done," Van Gundy said of Thibodeau. "Look, there's a lot great coaches in this league, and a lot of people have done great jobs. . . . But nobody — nobody — has done a better job than Tom has."

Layups

• Dwight Howardreceived a big ovation when he was introduced during the pregame festivities, just like he did before Orlando's home win over New Jersey last Friday. Once again, Howard did a wild dance afterward as he was surrounded by teammates.

• Fans are looking ahead to this summer to see if the Magic can add an impact player via a conventional free-agent signing. Writing Monday on ESPN.com, noted salary-cap guru Larry Coon sounded pessimistic about Orlando's chances. Coon grouped the Magic with two other teams as clubs "whose cap situation isn't too bad but still have things to worry about." Coon added that having the contracts of Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson "on the roster means that Otis Smith won't have any cap room with which to maneuver."

• SportsBusiness Journal and SportsBusiness Daily have honored Amway Center in its 2012 Sports Business Awards. The publication has named the arena one of four finalists in its "Sports Facility of the Year" category. The other finalists are Livestrong Sporting Park, the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. The winner will be announced on May 23.

• J.J. Redick had a reaction to the news that one of the NFL's all-time greatest quarterbacks will join the Denver Broncos. On Twitter, Redick wrote: "Manning to the Broncos? Oh wow."